Signal



June 28, 1932.

o F. MURPHY SIGNAL Filed Jan. 27, 1930 MMMHE Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES DANIEL F. MURPHY, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS SIGNAL Application filed January 27, 1930. Serial No. 423,845.

mobile direction signals, the switch being so constructed as to control the headlights of the vehicle as well as the various signal lights carried by the machine. 7

Another importantobject of myinvention i5 is the provision of a switch for direction signals for automobiles adapted to be located on the instrument board or other convenient points on the vehicle for the operator of the vehicle embodying a novel base plate supporting novelly arranged contact members for the head and signal lights, with a rotatable bridge member carried by the base plate for connection with the contacts, the contacts being so grouped that when the bridge memher is, in one position both of the head lights will be illuminated in the usual manner for straight driving, and when in another posi tion a red light will be illuminated on one side of the vehicle at the rear and the head light on the same side of the vehicle will be illuminated with a red light, and when in another position a red light will be set in operation on the other side of the vehicle at the rear thereof and the head light on the same side will be illuminated by a red light, and when in still another position both head lights will be illuminated to show red and both the red lights on the rear of the vehicle will; be illuminated indicating that the ve hicle is'going to be brought to a complete stop or, is going to make a complete turn in an intersection. I v

A still further object of my invention is to provide a novel switch for direction signals for automobiles of the above character, which will be durable and efiicient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture and one which can be placed upon the market and incorporated with a vehicle at a low cost.

With these and other objects in view, the

invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved switch for the direction signal.

Figure 2 is a diametric section through the same taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the switch 69 showing the switch shaft in section.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates my improved 5 switch, which comprises a switch block or base plate 5 formed of insulating material, such as hard rubber, bakelite or the like.

The base plate 5 is of a disc shape and is provided with an axial opening 6 through 7 which extends the switch shaft 7. The forward end of the switch shaft 7 can be provided with a disc shaped head which is preferably spaced from the front face of the base plate 5. The rear end of the shaft beyond the base plate 5 is reduced in diameter as at 8 and the extreme outer endthereof is provided with threads for the reception of lock nuts 10. The shaft can be anchored in the base plate 5 by means of asuitable cross key 11 and the shaft 8@ 9 can be extended through a suitable support (not shown) such as the instrument board or the like, the lock nut 10ocan be threaded thereagainst. If preferred an expansion spring 12 can be placed around the shaft interposed between the lock nut 10 and the support a V The base plate 5 can be received within a suitable protecting and ornamental rim 15 which can be made of brass or other desired metal and the inner edge of the rim 15' can be provided with an annular right angularly extending base flange 16, for engagement with the support with which the switch is associated. The outer edge of the rim 15 can be provided with a substantially circular shaped in cross section bead 17 the inner face of which can be rabbeted as at 18 for receiving the edge of the base plate 5.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft 7 is the bridge piece 19 provided with diametrically disposed resilient contact arms 20 and 21 for successive movement over a plurality of contacts 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29. These contacts extend entirely through the base plate and are arranged in annular series around the shaft 7, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3. The rear ends of the contacts which extend through the base plate 5 can be provided with suitable binding posts for receiving the control wires for the'head lights and signal lights (not shown). 1,

The head 8 of the shaft 7 rotatably receives the hand knob 30 and suitable fastening elements such as screws 31 are extended through the bridge member 19 and into the hand knob 30, so that upon turning of the knob the bridge piece will be turned therewith.

In the assembling of the device the bridge piece 19 can he slipped on the shaft 7 from one end and the hand knob 30 can be slipped over the head 8 after which the screws 11 can be placed in position. The shaft 7 can now be bolted directly to the base plate 5 and suitably anchored as previously described against movement.

The front face of the base plate 5 inward of its rim is divided into a plurality of sectors 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 10 and &1 by radial lines 12. Asshown, the contact 22 is disposed in the sector 32, while the contact 23 is disposed in the segment 33, the contact 24c in the sector 34, the contact 25 in the sector 35, the contact 26 in sector 37, the contact 27 in sector 38, contact 28 in sector'39 and the contact 29 in sector 40, the two sectors diametrically opposite namely the sectors 36 and ll are not provided with contacts and these sectors are colored some distinguishing color such as blue. The sectors for the signal lights namely the sectors 33, 34, 39 and 40 are colored a bright red so as to indicate to the driver the location of the contacts for the signal lights. The segments for the head lights, that is for the bright head lights 32, 35, 37, and 38 are painted white in order to clearly differentiate the same from the other segments. The contacts are so arranged that the contact on the right, referring to Figure 1 of the vertical axis of the base plate control the lights for the signal and head light'on the right hand of the vehicle while the contacts on the left of the vertical axis control the signal and head light on'the left of the vehicle.

Under normal running conditions, however, during the night time, the hand knob 30 is turned so as to dispose the arms 20 and 21 of the contact member over and in engage ment with the contacts 22 and 26 in the white contacts 32 and 37 and the head lights will burn in the usual manner. During the day time under normal running conditions the bridge member is turned so that the contact arms 20 and 21 will lie over the two segments 41 and 36 and thus be out of engagement with all of the contacts and so that all of the circuits will be open.

The wiring for the switch, head lights and signal lights have not been illustrated in the present instance but it is to be understood that should the operator of the vehicle be going to make a right hand turn the hand knob is turned so as to dispose the contact arm 20 over the contact pin 23 and over the contact pin 27. This combination of contacts will illuminate a red light on the right hand a rear fender and a red light in the right hand head light while the left hand head light will still show a bright white light. Should the operator of the vehicle be going to make a left hand turn the thumb grip is turned to the left so as to dispose the contact arm 20 over the contact pin 29 and the contact arm 21 over the contact pin 25. This combination will illuminate a red light 011 the lefthand fender and a red light in the left hand front head light, while the right hand headlight will remain bright.

Should the driver of the vehicle be going to bring the vehicle to a dead stop, the hand knob is turned so as to bring the resilient bridge arms 20 and 21 over the contacts 24: and 28 and both the front head lights and both the rear red lights will all show a red color. This combination can likewise be used, 5

when the driver of the vehicle is going to make a complete turn at a street intersection.

If so desired the front face of the base plate 5 can be provided with a raised annular concentric rib 45 over which the outer end of the contact arms 20 and 21 of the bridge piece 19 are adapted to travel, it being understood that the contact pins all protrude through the base plate at said raised rib portion.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but

YVhat I claim as new is: p

1. A switch for direction signals for automobiles comprising a base plate, a rotatable bridge member carried by the base plate including radially extending resilient contact arms, the base plate being divided into sectors of contrasting colors, and contact pins arranged in certain of the sectors to be engaged by said bridge arms.

2. A switch for direction signals for automotive vehicles comprising a base plate formed of insulating material and having its front face divided into a plurality of equal sectors of contrasting colors, contact pins extending through the base plate and terminating in certain of the sectors, the rear ends of the contact pins being provided with binding posts, an annular concentric raised rib formed on the front face of the base plate through which the front end of the pins extend, a shaft anchored in the baseplate at the axial center thereof and extending beyond the opposite faces thereof, the front end DANIEL F. MURPHY. 

